Free Creative Opportunities for Children and Young People Across County Louth
Date: January 26th, 2026
Louth County Council, in partnership with Creative Ireland, is inviting artists, creative practitioners, community groups, venues and organisations to submit Expressions of Interest to take part in Cruinniú na nÓg 2026, Ireland’s national day of free creativity for children and young people.
Cruinniú na nÓg will take place on Saturday, 6 June 2026, with activities delivered across County Louth and online. Funded projects may also take place in the weeks leading up to the national day, culminating in a public showcase, exhibition, performance, or digital release on 6 June.
Cruinniú na nÓg is a flagship initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme, dedicated to enabling children and young people aged 0–18 years to actively participate in high quality creative experiences—free of charge. The programme supports imagination, collaboration and creative expression, ensuring that the voices of children and young people are central to the design and delivery of all activities.
Funding Opportunities
Three funding strands are available to support a wide range of creative projects:
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- Strand 1: Up to €500 – for individual creative practitioners delivering small scale activities
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- Strand 2: Up to €1,500 – for community groups, venues and organisations delivering medium scale projects
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- Strand 3: Up to €2,500 – for larger scale projects with increased reach, duration or depth of engagement
All proposed activities must be free to participants, inclusive and accessible, and child centred, with a strong emphasis on active participation—doing, making and creating.
Child and Youth Consultation
As consultations are a requirement of the national programme, applicants are invited to outline, where possible, how children and young people were involved in shaping the ideas, projects, or programmes being proposed. This helps illustrate how work reflects their interests, perspectives, and creative input.
Key Dates
- Expression of Interest Deadline: Monday, 23rd February 2026 at 4:00 pm
(Late submissions cannot be accepted) - Cruinniú na nÓg: Saturday, 6 June 2026
- Final Project Report Deadline: 14 June 2026
Applications will be assessed by Louth County Council’s Culture & Creativity Team in line with published criteria, including creative quality, accessibility, feasibility and value for money.
How to Apply
Download the Expression of Interest application Form.
Download the Expression of Interest Briefing Document.
They must be submitted via email to creativeireland@louthcoco.ie by Monday, 23rd February 2026 at 4:00 pm.
For further details or application support, please contact: Lainey McQuaid, Creative Communities Engagement Officer, Louth County Council at lainey.mcquaid@louthcoco.ie or creativeireland@louthcoco.ie
